Chapter 7

This is the last chapter. I've enjoyed writing this story. I thank all of you who have reviewed. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Enjoy.

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"I guess I should count my blessings in whatever that means, for you to actually be here, and doing something other than surveillance," Jondy said, as they walked down the busy setting of carnival.

Everything was set up like an old fashion carnival from booths to rides, and food. And for the most part, the whole city was out and about.

"You're too comfortable. I'm gone soon, and everything better return back to normal."

"Whatever that is," she added to his statement, "But seriously," she said, but stopped as they walked up to a booth which headlined I Can Guess Your Weigh.

Jondy looked at Zack. He gave her a 'go for it' face, and she smiled. She could only think it to be interesting.

The man manning the booth shook his head at the lady ahead of them, which she was in tears. Jondy recognized her instantly, from someone who came into the bar more than twice a week, and put a hand on her shoulder.

"What's wrong Jennifer?" she asked.

"The man told me my weight is two-hundred and three." She sobbed right on Jondy's shoulder.

"Don't cry," she tried to soothe, "He doesn't know any better. This is just a way for him to make money." It was true; most of the booths would be rigged anyways. Everyone was trying to make a good buck now-a-days.

"He guessed correct!" she interjected, a look of horror mixing into her tear stricken face. She pushed away from Jondy.

"Oh." Jondy felt really awkward. She gave her another pat on the shoulder before she pushed past her and Zack, and into the many people who formed the crowd.

She looked at Zack who gave her an awkward shrug, and a shake of his head. He had enjoyed that little tid-bit.

She turned back to the man, and put most of her weight on her back foot, hip cocked out to the side, she leaned forward.

"How much?" she questioned.

He looked her up and down and smiled. "If I can guess your weight correctly, then you owe me ten dollars, but if you win I owe you ten dollars."

"Times must be really, really hard. Shouldn't I be getting a stupid stuffed animal that I would want to rip its head off?" She asked; though she was glad that it was cash, and not some waste of space that she didn't have use for. With cash, the possibilities were endless.

"Listen girl, are you in, or are you out? There's a line behind you, and business is booming." He cut straight to the point, the irritation of 'I wish I wasn't here very clear.'

"Fine," she gave a shake of her head to the right, "Let's see if you're right."

He stood up, and looked her up, and down, a hand to his chin. He thought and he looked. Finally he sat on the ledge of his stand, and nodded his head three times.

"You weigh is one twenty eight," he said with dignity, and a smug look on his face. His hand was already out to collect due.

Wrong, she wanted to shout in his face. Instead, she stood on the big, over exaggerated scale, with its huge indicator for the whole world to see, and she smiled smugly at him.

"One thirty-nine," she said, giving him that little head movement again, "Pay up!"

The guy's smug face turned into disappointment, and he forked over the ten bucks.

Walking away she heard him grumble under his breath, "I was wrong because all that extra weight is crammed in your ass." She had to grab Zack's fist, and keep it at waist length because Zack was paying close attention as well, and was ready to let the guy have it. She knew how to just let it go, but Zack didn't.

"Just ignore it," she said, and brought her fingers to his, and he put his around hers.

"If you weren't here, it'd be differently," he grumbled.

"I know," she cheesed, and pulled over to the line for the bumper cars.

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Sitting back to back, on the bridge, looking out across the way, and into the early evening, Jondy knew that this was it. He was ready to go; to head on down the road. Will he return back, she did not know.

But for the most part, it was great to have him there, and he even hung around, even if his intentions were not for a visit, but for something else. Whatever happened with Ben, and whatever happens next, whatever else, Zack was a closed book. The only think she could do for Zack is to be happy, and hope that he is happy for the ones he set free.

That's all she could wish for, for he only wanted to make sure that none of them ended up back in Manticore.

"Where are you?" Zack asked.

She shook her head, and chuckled, "I was just thinking."

"About what?" he questioned, and bit into the sub they had purchased from the small shop by her home.

She didn't want to tell him that she was thinking about him, for she feared he would go off on one of his tan drums that she has heard before, and would here again in the future. She had to say something that would not get him worked up on her emotional value. Just because he didn't have any, didn't mean that the rest of them didn't.

"I was just thinking about why I live here, when I have a choice of so many other places." She finished up eating her food.

"Well, there are other places out there, you can disappear anytime," he commented, like it was that easy. It wasn't sometimes. It was nice to have somewhere to call home. Zack never knew anything about that. He never would. Maybe the whole country was his home.

"I like it here. I don't have to hide, but to hide in plain sight. Plus, I'm so used to the atmosphere, and on some occasion, very rare, but there are some," she smiled, "I like my job."

Zack stood up, and she did as well.

"I'm leaving now," he informed.

She nodded, and instead of a hug, he gave her a kiss.

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Later that night, while working she overheard the conversation of two men talking. She couldn't see them, they were in the crowd, and nor would she look; though their conversation was loud and clear:

"The pawn shop was broken into this afternoon."

"Ah, yeah?"

"Yeah, and there was only one thing stolen fr-"

"That displayed gun."

"Yeah, but nobody seen anybody take it."

Jondy shook her head, and tsked to herself. She didn't need to think about who had done it. It was pretty obvious, for he was eyeing the other day.

She greeted the next customer, and set to work.

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That's it! I hope you've enjoyed reading it, as much as I have enjoyed writing it.